County fair adds alcohol to fare

Some decry mix of beer, margaritas with family event

July 09, 2002|By Carolyn Starks, Tribune staff reporter.

When McHenry County officials brainstormed for ways to rejuvenate this summer's county fair, they came up with an attraction they hope will be more lucrative and popular than even the demolition derby: cold beer and frozen margaritas.

For the first time in the history of the fair, which has been held for more than 50 years, alcohol will be sold on the fairgrounds in Woodstock. In a beer garden, anyone 21 or older with two forms of identification will be able to order beer, frozen margaritas or daiquiris. Bands will play nearby.

Officials hope the mix of drinks and music will improve lackluster revenue and attendance at the fair, which runs from July 31 to Aug 4.

But some people say the fair's history as a wholesome, family-oriented 4-H event will be tarnished. The decision to sell liquor also is a departure from the practice at most of the fairs in the region, including Lake, DuPage and Kane Counties, which are dry.

"I'm not impressed by it," said Cindy Harris, a 4-H community worker for the McHenry County Cooperative Extension Service in Woodstock. "I have a lot of kids staying the night [at the fairgrounds]. Because of this, it will make it a little rougher on our adult chaperons. This is not always the correct way to boost [revenue]."

Although selling beer has been a tempting prospect over the years to fair officials across the collar counties, most have dismissed the idea, saying alcohol and 4-H youngsters don't mix.

"We take pride in having families that are here at 11 at night with their kids and don't have to worry about drunk people at the beer garden," said Harry Dahms, secretary of the Lake County Fair Association. "I don't perceive the Lake County Fair ever having beer on the fairgrounds. A fair is a fair."

With revenue and attendance flat for several years, McHenry County Fair officials have been trying to attract more people while keeping costs down.

A few years ago, they stopped bringing in big-name music stars because the concerts were poorly attended. Now the main grandstand events are the beauty pageant, demolition derby and tractor pull.

One of the reasons fair officials changed their minds this year was because a local pub that is providing the alcohol is willing to assume all liability and security costs, said Chris Dahm, president of the McHenry County Fair Association. The pub will split the proceeds with the association.

"We're supplying the spot; they are taking care of everything else," Dahm said. "That's the beauty of the whole thing.

"The fair has been stagnant in the last several years in new ideas, new things. This is one way to draw different people in, to increase some interest. If it doesn't work, we will shut it down."

In Kane County, officials have never served alcohol at the fair. And 15 years ago they stopped handing it out backstage to the grandstand performers who asked for it.

"We have some youngsters who sleep with their animals overnight," said Jim Rumsa, the fair's public relations director. "The idea may have casually been brought up, but the fair directors have frowned upon it mainly because it is a 4-H affair and we didn't think it was the right place to serve alcohol to the general public."

In DuPage County, Wilbert Hageman, president of the fair, said: "Where we're at, every town has a festival and their biggest moneymaker is beer. We feel it's more important for us to put on an agricultural fair."

However, in Will County, where alcohol has been served as long as fair director Charles Patton can remember, there has never been a problem mixing alcohol and agriculture because of security measures.

"It helps us defray the costs of the fair ever year," Patton said, noting that the fair will celebrate its 99th year next month. "We generate some decent revenue out of it."

When asked what would happen if beer were banned at the fair, Patton said, "That would severely cramp our style."